Peanut blanching machine



Jan. 26, 1932. A. LEWINSKI 7 1,842,909

- PEANUT BLANCHING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Arnevrae ,6? [gym 40 Jan. 26, 1932. A. LEWINSKI v PEANUT BLANCHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1930' R 0 7/ Z WW Patented Jan. 26, 1932 V UNITED STATES ALEXANDER I wINsKI, or cn'IoAeo, ILLINOIS PEANU BLANCHiNG MACHINE Application filed March 17, 1930. Serial No. 436,383;

This invention relates to peanut-blanching machine and has for its object the provision of an efiicient machine wherein crushing of the peanuts during the operation of the machine will be practically eliminated.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a peanut-blanching machine which may have a pair of rollers in between of which peanuts are passed for blanching the same, said rollers to be provided with a plurality of rubber rings which may frictionally contact with the peanuts while said rollers rotate, for the purpose of blanching the peanuts. V

A further object of the present invention is to improve the construction shown in my patent for peanut blanching roller and method, dated August 22, 1922, No. 1,427,000, wherein a roller was shown having a plurality of ribs covered by a sheath or covering made of rubberized cloth or rubber impervious toair. In practice it was found that such covering was liable to puncture or wear with the consequent diminution'of the efficiency of the roller. In the present invention this disadvantage is eliminated by providing yieldable rubber rings preferably made of soft sponge rubber.

With the above general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the

same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein formed with. an air chamber 11 whlch after more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the rollers asso ciated with the distributor or hopper;

Fig.2'is a longitudinal view, partly in section and partly in elevation of one of the rollers; v

Fig. 3 is a transversecross-sectional view through the rollers and hopper, the view having been taken on line 'S3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. i is a top fragmentary elevat1onal view of the bottom of the hopper, showing stub-shaft 14: is connected, in an the manner in which peanuts pass from the hopper in between the rollers; and 7 Fig.6 is an enlargedelevational fragmentary view of one end of one of said rollers.

Referring in detail to the present drawingsthere is shown therein an upper roller 1 and a lower roller-2, which are adapted to be driven at an unequal rate of speed so that rubbing action may be brought about upon the peanuts passing from the hopper 3 between the two rollers. Said hopper 3 is positioned above therollers and is rigidly aiiixed by means of braces 4 to bearings 5 of the upper roller 1. One of the side walls of hopper 8 adjacent the upper roller has an opening wherein portion of the periphery of the upper roller 1 is adapted to fit. The bottom wall 7 of said hopper 3 is at an incline, its

lowermost edge remaining adjacent the pe- 'ripheral contact-point of the two rollers,as

shown on Fig. 3. Near and at the open edge of the bottom wall 7 of the hopper 3 there are a plurality of integrally formed'and. vertically disposed plates 8 by means of which peanuts 9 are adapted to be guided in their movement preparatory to their passing between the rollers. An agitator, not shown, may be placed in the hopper, and in the proximity of said plates 8 for stirring the peanuts in hopper 3 and for causing their constant and uniform travel towards the rollers. Each roller, 1 and 2, includes a cylinder 10 communicates with air passage 12 passing through one of its stub-shafts 13, the other suitable manner, to drive mechanism. aid stubshafts are mounted in bearings 5, and each pair of said bearings ,5 at each end of the two rollers is connected by means of integrally formed arm 15. In connection with said bearings 5 and arms 15 means may be providedfor adjusting the position of the rollers with respect to each other so as to into any suitable pump for creating a vacuum in air chambers 11, for the purpose hereinafter described.

Each of said rollers 1 and 2 is provided with a plurality of equally spaced and integrally formed annular ribs 17 for accommodating therebetween a plurality of rubber rings 18. Said rubber rings 18 are preterably made of soft rubber, which also may be a sponge rubber with uniform non-spongy surfaces. Thus said ribs 17 form therebetween a plurality of channels for positioning therewithiu the rubber rings 18. Said rubber rings 18 are of a larger diameter than the diameter of ribs 17, so that when said rubber rings 18 are in position upon rollers 1 and 2, the same projecting beyond the periphery of ribs 17.

For the purpose of keeping said rubber rings 18 against rotation with respect to cylinder 10 of each roller, a series of air ports 19 are made in cylinder 10, said air ports registering with the channel made by each pair of said ribs 17; or other suitable means may be provided for anchoring rings 18 to the cylinder and rigidly holding the same thereupon. When vacuum is created in cylinder 10, portion of each rubber ring 18 contacting with the outlet of port 19 will be sucked into the same, by virtue of which arrangement rings 18 will be held against rotation with respect to each roller.

It is observed that ribs 17 and rubber rings 18 in the two rollers 1 and 2 are in alinement, and the outer ends of plates 8 register with ribs 17 of the upper roller 1 and enter the recesses formed by ribs 17 and each adjacent pair of rubber rings 18. Thus, peanuts will be prevented from at any time passing through the rollers at points opposite of said ribs 17, but will be guided into the path of the rubber rings 18 as rollers 1 and 2 are rotated into the direction indicated by arrow on Fig. 3. By virtue of this arrangement contact of the peanuts with any metal or hard parts of rollers 1 and 2 will be prevented and hence any crushing of the peanuts will be practically eliminated.

While there is described herein a preferred embodiment of the present invention it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the inven tion as claimed.

hat I claim as new is:

1. A peanut blanching machine comprising a pair of rollers, annular members positioned upon each of said rollers, yieldable elements upon said rollers in alternate relation with said members, said members and said yieldable elements being each in alinement in the two rollers, said yieldable elements being diametrically ofiset from said members, and

means in alinementwith said annular mem bers in one of sald rollers for blocking the path of peanuts thereto and for guiding the peanuts in the path of said yieldable elements.

2. A peanut blanching machine comprising a pair of rollers, annular members positioned upon each of said rollers, yieldable elements upon said rollers in alternate relation with said members, a hopper, said hopper having a bottom wall, said yieldable elements being diametrically oft-set from said members for forming recesses in conjunction with said annular members, and vertically disposed plates upon one edge of said bottom wall, said plates registering with said annular members and the ends thereof entering said recesses.

3. A peanut blanching machine comprising a pair of rollers, annular ribs positioned upon each of said rollers, yieldable elements upon said rollers in alternate relation with said ribs, said ribs and said yieldable elements each being in alinement in the two rollers, a hopper including a bottom wall, and vertically disposed plates adjacent one edge of said bottom wall, said plates being in alinement with said ribs.

4:. A blanching machine comprising a pair of rollers, said rollers being in horizontal alinement on vertical plane, annular ribs positioned upon each of said rollers, yieldable elements upon said rollers in alternate relation with said ribs, said ribs and said yieldable elements each being in alinement in the two rollers, a hopper, one of the side walls of said hopper having a slot whereby portion of the upper roller is permitted to enter within said hopper, and vertically disposed plates adjacent one edge of the bottom wall of said hopper, said plates being in alinement with said ribs.

5. A blanching machine comprising a pair of rollers, said rollers being in horizontal alinement on vertical plane, annular ribs positioned upon each of said rollers, yieldable elements upon said rollers in alternate relation with said ribs, said ribs and said yieldable elements each being in alinement in the two rollers, a hopper, one of the side walls of said hopper having a slot whereby portion of the upper roller is permitted to enter within said hopper, and vertically disposed plates adjacent one edge of the bottom wall of said hopper, the outer ends of said ribs remaining between said yieldable elements of the upper roller and the adjacent and outer peripheries of said ribs.

6. A blanching machine comprising a pair of rollers, said rollers being in horizontal alinement on vertical plane, annular ribs positioned upon each of said rollers, yieldablc elements upon said rollers in alternate relation with said ribs, said ribs and said yieldable elements each being in alinement in the two rollers, a hopper, one of the side walls of said hopper having a slot whereby portion of the upper roller is permitted to enter Within said hopper, vertically disposed plates adjacent one edge of the bottom wall of said hopper, said plates being in alinement With said ribs, and pneumatic means for attaching said yieldable elements to the cores of said rollers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALEXANDER LEWINSKI. 

